Seattle Seahawks Week 2 Preseason Recap

1 of 5

USA TODAY Sports

With the starting offensive line all in place, the Seahawks offense was clicking on all cylinders. Russell Wilson had all the time he could ask for but was still sacked once in the game. He finished the first half by completing 11 of 13 passes for 121 yards and ran the ball four times for 31 yards and two scores.

The rushing attack improved tremendously as well, with Robert Turbin breaking off a huge 47-yard carry early and finishing the day with 81 yards and a score.

As a team, Seattle finished the game with 243 yards rushing and five touchdowns.

The Chargers were not able to solve the Seahawks defense until the waning seconds of the first half, with the game already out of hand.

Philip Rivers wasn't on the field for long, throwing just four passes in the game. Kellen Clemens played the majority of the time and was hounded constantly by the Seahawks front seven.

Overall, the Seahawks racked up five sacks, five tackles for a loss and 10 QB hits.

News and Notes

2 of 5

USA TODAY Sports

Fights Break Out

There was a bit of a scuffle between defensive backs Earl Thomas and Tharold Simon, per The Seattle Times. It's the third fight this week, according to the report, but here's what defensive coordinator Dan Quinn had to say on the subject:

You certainly don’t want them, in terms of the back and forth. It’s a really competitive heightened time, when I think guys are really going for it, an ‘I want to show I belong on this team’ thing. Some of those flare ups may happen and that’s our job as coaches to try and get that handled as best we can. Really, we want to know what we’re competing for and at the end of it is how good we can make each other by how hard we go against each other. Sometimes that line can get crossed and get in the way, but really knowing what we’re competing for is to see how good we can get. Here at practice that’s what the whole message is about so at times the flare-ups may happen and it’s our job to try and control those as quickly as we can.

The Champ Is Here

After undergoing offseason ankle surgery, the Super Bowl MVP made his return to the practice field and participated in every phase of practice for the first time.

In his return, Malcolm Smith looked like he was in midseason form, making a one-handed pick-six, per the Seahawks' official website.

Cassius Marsh returned to the field last week and performed well. He's a versatile piece of the defensive line that the team is looking forward to having at 100 percent for the season.

Kevin Norwood and Bruce Irvin both remain out of action as the regular season draws near, but time may be running out for Norwood to earn a roster spot.

X-Factors and Matchups to Watch

4 of 5

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Bears' Big Receivers Vs. The Legion Of Boom

The Seattle secondary has performed well through the first two weeks of the preseason but faces perhaps its toughest receiver duo so far.

The Bears will field Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery at receiver, not to mention Matt Forte and his receiving ability out of the backfield.

Seattle's defense will have its hands full if it cannot put some pressure on Jay Cutler, who has been playing well through two preseason games.

Offensive Line Needs A Repeat Performance

With the starting offensive line in place last week, the juxtaposition of Seattle's offensive performance from Week 1 to Week 2 is massive.

The Bears weren't exactly a great pass-rushing defense last year, posting just 31 sacks for the season, but the opportunity is there.

The Seahawks offensive line was the biggest concern coming into the offseason, and the concern remains. Another strong performance by the line could set the tone for the year.

Seahawks X-Factor Of The Week

The Seahawks offense came to life last week against the Chargers and faces a Bears defense that allowed a horrendous 161.4 yards rushing per game last season.

Seattle's run-oriented offense put up 243 yards against the Chargers and should be able to post solid numbers again with its trio of mobile quarterbacks.

Prediction

5 of 5

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

The Seahawks offense showed signs of being a juggernaut last week, but with the style of offense, it's tough to expect that kind of outpouring every week.

The Bears pose a tremendous threat to the Legion of Boom but are still adjusting on the defensive side of the ball. I don't expect the type of blowout we saw last week, but the Seahawks will pull out another all-around performance.